"Well, well, look what the cat drugged in." Kristen smiled as she opened the door for Kayce.

"How's it hanging." Kayce hugged her old friend. "Is he still getting it up?"

"You already know it." She joked.

"Will you two quit it already! Your making me sick." AJ hoffed and made his way to the living room.

"No one forced you to come, hell no one asked you to."

"Can it barbie!" AJ threw at her.

"Yeah, nice to see you too freak!"

"Bitch!"

"Slut!"

"You should talk!" AJ laughed and Kristen flicked him off.

"I will never understand for the life of my why you and Alex hate each other so damn much." Kayce laughed and followed Kristen into the living room.

"Ah, he's just a little sore I got to Nicky before he could." She smirked at the death glare AJ sent to her. "You know, all that time on the road and he gets a little lonely."

"Ain't nothing little over here sweetie." AJ muttered and Nick appeared in the door way, a playful smile drew his lips. "One word Nick and I swear..." Nick held his hand up in defense, taking a chair by the window.

"Hey where's Jenna?"

"School." AJ laughed as he remembered this morning. "She was excited about finger painting today in art class." Nick shook his head. "She's growing up so fast Nick...it seems like it was only yesterday I brought her home..." His voice drifted.

"Doesn't it though." Nick smiled. "If my memory serves me right I said hi to the little butterball and she..."

"Threw up on you." AJ finished laughing.

"I still can't get the stain out." Nick joined him.

"Just something to remember her by."

"Something to remember her by." Nick softly repeated. "That's the last of that little ones worries, to be forgotten, for once she's touched your life your captivated by her."

"Hmm." AJ sighed playing with his rings. "Besides you guys and music she's the only thing in my life that's worth something. After Kat that it..."

"Yeah." Nick felt bad for his friend. "You want to talk about this J?"

"I guess I should, Dr. Young told me that I should try to talk about it." Nick nodded. "It's just...some days I'm ok but others I feel like I'm going in every direction, that my skin is the only thing keeping me in tack, it's exhausted." AJ rubbed the back of his neck in frustration.

"What about Jen and Kay?" Nick asked after a while and watched sorrow wash away from his brother's face.

"Two reasons why I'm still here Nick."

"You haven't been thinking about..."

"Nick it would be so damn easy to pick up that bottle again and drown this pain, it really would." Nick looked at his friend in disbelief. "Old Jack was calling to be a couple of nights ago and I mean really calling but I stopped myself, I stopped myself from making the same mistake I've been through times and times again."

"I'm proud of you man." Nick offered a small smile. "I'm glad you where stronger then those demons."

"I wish I could say the same." AJ hoffed. "You remember when I was about to marry Sarah and I started drinking again?" Nick nodded.

"Yeah why?"

"That was around the time Kat and I started....'being together' and stuff. She would always beg me to stop and to go back for more help but I was convinced that they couldn't, hell if they couldn't fix me the first time why even bother with a next?"

"What about..."

"She was born with a high tolerance of alcohol and it's all my fault."

AN: And there you have it, ch. 6. ch. 7 will be along soon! so please update and review! Thanks!